I'd Never Hurt You
by Klaroline JFX
Summary: AU/AH Caroline and Rebekah were living it up at college and just when Caroline felt her life was coming together and she was moving past her mistakes a face from the past comes back to disrupt the progress she's made. She's determined to focus on her life whilst ignoring every advance Nik makes towards her. Will she be able to remain strong or will he catch he off guard?
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note**

Hello, this is just a little quick note before you start reading. I'd very much like to thank Pretty Girl 818 for beta reading. Without her as beta this fic wouldn't be as enjoyable. So once again thank you.

* * *

Love is a really scary thing, and you never know what's going to happen.

It's one of the most beautiful things in life, but it's one of the most terrifying.

It's worth the fear because you have more knowledge, experience, you learn from people,

and you have memories.

* * *

"Come on Caroline, we're in our junior year of college...almost senior." Rebekah pleaded. She was trying to get Caroline to go to a college party. Caroline had been study, study, work and some more study for the past three years. What Rebekah didn't understand was that this was the manner in which Caroline made a living and paid for college. She loved Rebekah to the moon and back, but sometimes she just forgot that the world wasn't as rich as Rebekah Mikaelson. As rude an envious as that sounded, Caroline was very happy with her life and couldn't imagine one without Rebekah therein. They've been the best of friends since sophomore year of high school and have pretty much been joined at the hip ever since. Now, they live in New York and study at Columbia together where Caroline is employed at a bakery. As for Rebekah...well Rebekah didn't really need to work.

"Okay fine! Just let me finish this paper. I'm almost done." Rebekah grunted in exasperation whilst leaving Caroline to her own devices. Ten minutes later Caroline was finished and Rebekah was actually ready. "That's what you're wearing?" Rebekah asked, sounding almost revolted by Caroline's attire. Looking down at her clothes, Caroline shrugged and before she could reply Rebekah had already thrown clothes into her hands and effectively changed Caroline into what she deemed "appropriate party attire". This meant that Caroline was now dressed in blue skinny jeans and a black backless top, the only thing she'd let Rebekah put on her.

"Caroline wipe that look off your face. It'll be fun." Rebekah chides her as she drags her to the door.

* * *

They make it to the party at eleven, where after discovering that it was really loud and gross inside they each grab a cup of cheap beer and head outside. Rebekah's friend, Marcel, (I don't even know if you could call him that) joined them outside after awhile. "Here, let me see if I can get my hands on something stronger." Marcel mutters taking their plastic solo cups and disappearing inside.

"Is that the same Marcel you come home complaining about?" asked Caroline. "I do not complain about him." argued Rebekah. "I just, strongly voice my opinion on his idiot habits." They both start laughing at Rebekah's explanation just as Caroline spots Marcel returning to them with a bottle of Bourbon and a stack of cups. He handed each girl a cup and poured in some Bourbon. "So Rebekah, what are you doing this summer, London again?" Rebekah looked a little hesitant to answer the question. "No not London. Nik's coming to me this year." Caroline almost choked on her drink at the mention of Nik. "Rebekah, can I talk to you for a sec...alone?" Hearing the edge marring Caroline's voice, Marcel got the clue and left the ladies alone.

"What do you mean Nik's coming to me this year?" Rebekah knew that look. Caroline only got it when she was irritated and about to blow. To defuse the situation, Rebekah decided to answer her slowly and hopefully confidently. "Nik is coming to see me this summer." Rebekah said her confidence wavering at the displeased look on Caroline's face. "Yeah, I gathered as much. Why didn't you tell me?" Shaking her head, she didn't even give Rebekah time to answer before she stormed off.

Caroline had moved to New York for a fresh start hoping to get away from Mystic Falls and all the stupid mistakes that she had made...one of which was getting involved with Niklaus Mikaelson. Caroline and Nik were perfect. They had met, well maybe met wasn't the right word for unceremoniously, unofficially and surprisingly coming across each other four years ago. Caroline was in her senior year of high school and Klaus in his third year of college. He had asked her out only a month after they had "met". Caroline was hesitant at first, thinking that Nik wouldn't take her seriously and that he would use her like Damon Salvatore had. It had really messed her up, but when she met Rebekah and experienced her unwavering confidence and support she became stronger than ever. It helped that Nik had assured her that he didn't just see her as a hit and run situation. He told her that he "fancied" her in that British accent she had come to love and Caroline couldn't help but say yes.

* * *

 _Flashback:_

 _"Wow, this is your house?" Caroline asked amazed as she got out of the driver's seat. "Yeah, it's a bit much for my taste, but it is lovely." Rebekah replied absentmindedly as they made their way inside of what Caroline could only deem as a freaking mansion. Despite being friends for two years Caroline had never been to the Mikaelson family home._

 _Caroline and Rebekah had to study for a history test that Mr. Saltzman had sprung on the class right before the weekend. Rebekah decided to make good out of the situation and invited Caroline to her house for a study sleepover. The only downside being that Rebekah's brother Kol was going to be studying with them. Kol irritated Caroline the majority of the time. He was always flirting with her, but Caroline new it was just a ploy to make Bonnie jealous. He was still a pain in the arse none the less._

 _Caroline was so mesmerized by the tall ceilings and the huge staircase that she didn't even notice the third person in the room. "Rebekah!" The man yelled. He stumbled towards them only to be caught by Rebekah. "Elijah? Wait, are you drunk?" She put 'Elijah' back on his feet. He gave her a shy look. "Well," he said rolling the word. "Niklaus is here for the remainder of the weekend and he persuaded me to indulge a bit." He gestured his head to the room he came out of. Then came another man, Niklaus, Caroline presumed._

 _"_ _It's okay little sister. I'll keep Elijah here on his toes." Niklaus said as he patted Elijah's back. "And who might you be?" He asked Caroline with his eyebrows raised. "Her name is Caroline, she's my friend Nik, and I advise you to stay away from her." Rebekah said threateningly. She had put herself in between the two of them further indicating that Caroline was off limits._

 _"_ _Rebekah, I'm not a child. I know how to keep my hands to myself." He said while sending a wink Caroline's way. Rebekah scoffed and Caroline couldn't help but blush. "Where's Kol? He's part of this group too." Rebekah asked, addressing the question more towards Klaus than Elijah. "I think he's in the same condition as Elijah, maybe worse."_

 _"_ _It's always the same thing when you come into town." They made their way upstairs, while Klaus took a stumbling Elijah back to the room they had come out of. "Don't mind him Caroline. He's just, Nik being Nik." Rebekah reassured as they came to an abundance of doors. "This is my room," she pointed to a door on the left "and that's the guest room you'll be staying in." She pointed to the opposite door on the right. "We can start tomorrow when Kol's sober." Rebekah walked into her room smiling as Caroline walked to the guest room. "Goodnight." Caroline said. Yet as Carolinegot ready for bed she couldn't stop her thoughts from going to Nik's earlier comment. She wasn't sure she'd mind it if Nik wasn't able to keep his hands to himself._

* * *

 _"_ _Rebekah please, I wouldn't be asking if I didn't truly care."_

 _Nik had been begging Rebekah for information on Caroline since he had "met" her a month ago, but Rebekah wouldn't budge no matter how many times he asked or how many things he promised. She just wouldn't spill. "Nik I told you, Caroline has been through a lot, more than you can imagine. I won't put her in that position again." Rebekah told him over their Skype call. "Besides what makes you think she'd say yes to a date with you?" She questioned. "Rebekah please, look at me I'm irresistible." He said smugly, gesturing up and down himself. "With that cocky attitude I don't think it matters." Rebekah told him sternly and surely. "Mikaelson gene." He smirked and logged off._

* * *

 _"_ _Caroline, you remember my brother Nik right?" Rebekah asked as they looked through a rack of dresses. She had invited Caroline for a long overdue shopping trip. It fit in perfectly with the upcoming annual Mikaelson ball her mother was throwing. Esther was kind enough to extend her credit card to buy Caroline something extravagant to wear._

 _She'd been thinking about what Niklaus had said for days. If Caroline said no then Rebekah would gladly rub it in Nik's face for days. The only problem was that Caroline could say yes, which slightly concerned Rebekah, but she had decided that she would be a good sport, for the sake of her brother and best friend. She had concluded that it should be Caroline's choice and she'd be fine with either...well she'd try and be fine with her best friend dating her brother._

 _"_ _You mean the extremely drunk one or the extremely confident one?" Caroline tried to make it sound like she hadn't been thinking about the elder Mikaelson for weeks. She turned to another dress to hide the giddy smile on her face. "Well that's a nice way of putting it. I would've gone with cocky or arrogant."_

 _"_ _So, what about your brother?" Caroline asked looking back up at Rebekah. Rebekah gave her a questioning look but Caroline raised her eyebrows in question. She just wanted to know why Rebekah brought up her brother, now of all times. "He's been asking me things." Apparently Rebekah wasn't going to be very forthcoming which meant that Caroline was going to have to weasel it out of her._

 _"_ _Things?"_

 _"_ _Yeah, things."_

 _"_ _About?"_

 _"_ _You." Rebekah didn't miss the surprised but undeniably happy look on Caroline's face. She did it involuntary, she couldn't help it. "Caroline?" Rebekah asked unsure if she wanted an answer to the question formulating in her head. "Yeah?" Caroline looked down this time. "Caroline, do you have a thing for my brother?"_

 _End flashback._

* * *

Caroline stormed into their Carnegie Hill apartment after her outburst with Rebekah. "UGH!" She slammed the door and headed to the kitchen. The Mikaelson's are going to be the death of her. She grabbed a wine glass, a bottle of Gaja Barbaresco 2010, and poured herself a glass. She set the bottle down and looked out the small kitchen window. "Rebekah?" Came a distinctly male and British voice from behind. Startled she immediately dropped the glass sending her favourite wine all over the floor. "Oh, god." She mutters turning around to see the one person she never thought she was going to see again.

"Caroline." She hears him firmly whisper, a surprised look on his face.

"Nik?"

* * *

 **Author's Note**

AH! Was it good? Terrible? I hoped you enjoyed it. Quick F.Y.I. this is going to be a sort of Klaus and Caroline rekindling story. So be patient. No I'm not going to write 10-15 chapters with no Klaroline, because I absolutely hate when stories do that. But a good 5 chapters of building up might be more along the lines of what I'd write.


	2. Chapter 2

**_Author's Note_**

The way i'm trying to update is to update a chapter and have the next ready. Right now this is chapter 2 and I'm still waiting on the edited chapter 3, but after the great response from the first chapter I couldn't help but post this one.

I don't know why everyone feels the need to disclaim that they don't own the vampire diaries. I mean it's obvious right? Why the hell not is how I approach most situations, so **I DO NOT OWN THE VAMPIRE DIARIES!  
**

* * *

Whether it be silent whimpers or sobbing cries,

they both mean the same thing,

you've been hurt.

\- Jessica Lizzett Felix JFX

* * *

 _It was finally here, the annual Mikaelson ball. Rebekah was stressed because the tailor was nowhere near done with her dress, Esther was yelling into her phone, making sure all of her children were flying in before tonight, and poor Caroline was caught in the middle of it all. Between helping Rebekah find a new dress and organizing the ball for Esther, Caroline had not even realized that she never went to buy a dress, never mind had one made. Truth be told it wasn't as if she even had the time for any of that._

 _By the time she finally did realize she had nothing to wear, she had gone home to get ready. "Ugh!" she lets out frustrated, throwing the dress she had just taken out of her closet onto the bed. First she had to deal with the Mikaelson women and now this. "Maybe I should just sit this one out." She mumbles to herself grabbing her phone with the clear intent of letting Rebekah know that she wasn't coming tonight. Before she even had the opportunity to finish her text and hit the send button there was a knock on the front door of her house. Quickly placing her phone on her bedside table she makes her way to the foyer where through the glass of her front door, she could see what looked like a delivery man holding a box._

 _"Can I help you?" she asks the man, a kind smile on her face. "I have a delivery for Caroline Forbes." he says looking down at the piece of paper in his hand. That's odd, she didn't remember ordering anything and who would be sending her packages? "That's me." She holds out her hands hesitantly as he gives her the cream colored box wrapped with a brown ribbon, before she watches him scurry back to his truck. Looking down at the box a question forms in her mind and just as she's about to ask him who it was from, she looks back up to see an empty spot where his truck used to be._

 _Taking the box back to her room she places it on her bed noticing that there was a card stuck under the brown ribbon on the top which only added to the question of who would send her this? Opening it, a frown crosses her face. How strange…An invitation to a ball that she helped organize. Hoping to find an answer to her question of who the mystery sender was, she turns the card over to find a note written in black ink._

 _"Save me a dance… Yours fondly, Klaus"_

 _For a moment she stares at it stunned before an overwhelming feeling of excitement washes over her. With her heart pattering like a machine gun she undoes the ribbon and opens the box. Inside she finds a stunning royal blue dress with a floor length tulle skirt and a bodice completely covered in silver jewels. Lifting it up, she stares in wonder at the sheer beauty of the dress before reality settles in and she carefully places it back into the box before putting the lid on. "Oh my god." Is all she manages to get out._

 _Grabbing her phone, she erases her early message and replaces it with, "Did you know about this?"_

 _Luckily she didn't have to wait long before she had an answer because within two seconds Rebekah had responded to her message. "About what?"_

 _"The dress, that's what" she replies irritated. Sighing she lifts the lid of the box and runs her fingers over the intricate beading on the bodice. Yes, the dress was amazing; yes, she didn't have anything else appropriate to wear and yes, her heart rate was sky rocketing at the mere thought of Nik, but if Rebekah had something to do with it then she'd at least like to know before she got her hopes up._

 _The beeping of her phone draws her out of her thoughts and to the screen of her phone where Rebekah's name was flashing. "So Nik actually did it?"_

 _"What do you mean? Did you know about it or not?" Caroline replied without missing a beat, trying to figure out whose idea it actually was to send her the dress._

 _"Nik told me about his plan to 'woo' you when he was back in town, yes, but I didn't think he would actually go through with it." Sighing with relief she decided to give Rebekah the benefit of the doubt and believe she didn't force Niklaus to show interest. Her friend would never betray her like that and besides It would be very pathetic if that weren't the case._

 _"Woo me?" Caroline asked, focusing on the part she felt to be the most important out of the whole of Rebekah's statement._

 _"His words, not mine. Caroline, if Nik even attempts something idiotic, which I'm almost certain he will, I swear I'll kick his ass." Shaking her head Caroline starts giggling at Rebekah gravely appreciated over protectiveness._

 _"Thanks. I'll see you tonight?"_

 _"Wouldn't miss it. I mean, I have to see whether or not Nik's choice in dress has the Rebekah Mikaelson stamp of approval." Grinning Caroline types out her response. This was exactly the reason why Rebekah and she were best friends to start with. Rebekah always knew how to reassure her or make her laugh. No matter what happened they loved each other so much they were practically family._

 _"Trust me, it does."_

* * *

"Hey, Marcel I have to go." Rebekah says rushing over to say goodbye wanting to chase after Caroline. She knew that she should have told Caroline earlier, but she just kept putting off, afraid of how Caroline would take the news. Yet now, at the most inconvenient time she let it slip, and everything went south. She should have just been honest with her best friend and given her time to become used to the news.

"Oh ok, how's Caroline?" He asked, genuine concern lacing his voice. "That's what I'm going to find out, she just took off, so I don't think it's good." She spared an annoyed glance at her phone then looked up at Marcel. "I hope she's okay, and I hope…" He leaned closer to Rebekah. "…I'll get to see you tomorrow." Seeing his mouth coming closer, Rebekah places her hand on his lips and pushes him away. "Nope, not when your drunk." Smiling she gives him a sweet kiss on the cheek. "Goodnight, Marcel."

* * *

"Caroline, what are you doing here?" Really? Taking in a disbelieving breath, Caroline stares at Nik as if he's grown another head. The audacity of the guy. They were together for 3 years, he's in her house and that's the first thing he asks her. UGH! Without bothering to answer him she kneels down to pick up the broken slivers of the wine glass. Noticing one of the bigger shards had blood on, she looks down at her feet. That's just great, could her night get any better, in addition to having to deal with Nik, she had cut the top of her foot open. Now more annoyed than before she throws the broken pieces in the sink and grabs the first aid kit from the cupboard underneath it.

"Well, I don't know? This is my apartment, so the better question would be what are you doing here Klaus?" Sarcasm present in her voice. A little shocked that she addressed himself 'Klaus' instead of Nik, like she use to, he looks down at the floor and notices the red droplets. "You're bleeding." He utters before hastily rushing towards her. Just as he's about to reach out to her, Caroline moves back and hops onto the counter, immediately taking her heels off. "Stop with the worrying act! Its fine, I'm fine!" She reiterates, beginning to clean the cut and shrugging off his misplaced and as far as she believes, false concern. If he really did care, he would never have hurt her the way he did.

"Caroline!" Came Rebekah's voice from the living room. "What's with the shouting?" her voice becoming clearer as she walks into the spacious kitchen where she notices her brother standing, before Caroline's bleeding foot comes into her view.

"Nik? What are you doing here?" He opens his mouth to answer, but when no words leave his lips, he quickly closes it looking as much the idiot as he felt. "Never mind. Caroline what happened?" She asks slipping between the two, now leaving Klaus behind her and placing herself in front of Caroline.

"Nothing, I just dropped my glass of wine." She motions to the bottle of wine and the glass in the sink. "Oh no! Not the Barbaresco. Even if it was just a one glass that wine is simply a shame to waste." Rebekah whines like the vain child that she had a tendency of being.

After Caroline's cut was clean and bandaged she along with Rebekah went to her room to talk away from Nik. Caroline rested on her bed whilst Rebekah paced around the room. She was practically burning a hole in the floor.

"Are you going to tell me what your brother is doing here or are you going to continue to burn a hole in the floor." Caroline asks finally breaking the awkward silence.

"Caroline, I'm sorry I didn't tell you about Nik coming over earlier, but I honestly had no idea he'd show up here today of all days." Not responding to Rebekah's simple explanation she continues to stare at the ceiling.

"I could get rid of him if you'd like?" She says as more of a question than a statement.

"I would have stormed out of here and found a place to stay by now, but given the circumstances, I don't think that's my best option." Pushing herself into a sitting position, Caroline leans against her headboard so she was now within direct eye sight of Rebekah. Sighing at the hopeful expression on her best friend's face she decides to suck it up. He was going to be here for a while and it wasn't as if she really had the funds to pay for a room at a hotel. "It's fine, he can stay here. Now leave and go tell him, my foot is killing me and I'm really tired." Squealing, Rebekah turns to leave making sure to firmly close the door on her way out.

Staring at the ceiling again she wonders how she got to the point where she'd have to stare at the ceiling to keep herself occupied, instead of being with Rebekah at some super awesome party. This fact wouldn't have bothered her years ago. Then, she had sort of loved it, especially when the moments she spent staring up at oblivion were filled with phone conversations with Nik. Since he lived in London they couldn't really see each other every day, so they would spend hours on the phone talking about everything and nothing and soon she found herself denying invitations to those same parties she thought were so awesome. Instead she'd try to find a decent moment to call Nik, while taking the five hour time difference into consideration.

When Nik miraculously disappeared, Caroline found the habit rather hard to shake, constantly catching herself trapped in replaying some of those old phone calls they had shared. It didn't help that because of her constant no to invites people had decided to exclude her from their festivities.

Shaking her head at catching herself once again caught up in memories from her past, Caroline turns on her side so that there was no way she could stare at the ceiling. She was determined to get the man that was sleeping less than twenty feet away from her, out of her head.

Closing her eyes she attempts to fall asleep and push away the emotions flooding her. Before she even has time to process what was happening she was curled up in ball, hugging her knees that were tightly pulled to her chest, with tears so silent that only she could hear them streaming down her face. She was sobbing and once again she was reminded of how alone she really was.

* * *

 **Author's Note**

This is where you, the 'audience', come in. I know a lot doesn't happen in my chapters and they're only 1,500-2,000 words long but I keep it like that because it's kind of easier. I would like to post a 4,000 word chapter that has a lot more happening, but I think that I'd be overwhelmed sort of and I'd think I would take two weeks to update as opposed to one. So what would be a more appealing fic to read? One with 2,000 word chapters and updates every week or one with 4,000 word chapters and updates every two weeks?

Okay, now about the actually story and not the updating. As my writing of this story progresses, I've see where I'm taking this story and I barely see Klaus and Caroline sitting down and talking in chapter 4. So having said that I don't think I can stick to my original plan of them being together in chapter 5 ish.

Oh and about the flash backs. I have great ideas for scenes that build up to present Klaus and Caroline's situation. Right now all you've read is the 'ball' which so far has been chronological. So would it be confusing to step out of a time line and just throw scenes in there as it relates to what's happening? I like what I have so far as there 'backstories' go and I'm not completely apposed to the idea but I do understand that it might get confusing. So riddle me this, Chronological order yes or no, mandatory or optional?

Last question, would anyone be opposed to having some chapters completely flashbacks and vise-versa?


	3. Chapter 3

**Author's Note**

Didn't mention this in last chapters Author's Note, but thanks to prettygirl818 for beta reading.

Not really much to say about this chapter other than its all written in present time, no flash backs.

* * *

Sometime running away

means you're heading in the

exact right direction.

-Alice Hoffman

* * *

Caroline awoke in a terrible and groggy mood only to look down to find a pillow dampened by her tears. Pushing her bedcovers away she stands up and walks into her bathroom where she takes in her disheveled appearance. Sighing she splashes water on her face before pulling her hair into a half hazard pony tail. Grabbing black yoga pants and an old ratty sleeveless shirt from her closet she begins to get ready for her habitual Monday morning run. Sneaking a quick glance at the clock on her bedside table she takes in the red glowing numbers. "5:11 AM, unbelievable!" she mutters frustrated, shaking her head. She was up all night, tossing and turning, barely sleeping a wink, all because of one man resting in the guest room a good twenty feet away. With a grunt of exasperation followed by a sigh, she puts on her black and neon pink running shoes and examines herself in the full length mirror located on the door of her messy closet. Now dressed in her 'Running clothes', she was looking much better than when she woke up.

Exiting her room she tip toes past the guest room to the front door, scared of waking Nik and having to confront him again. Slowly locking the door she takes Park Ave to Central Park and starts to run the six mile perimeter. She knew what she was doing; running was a way to distract herself from the memories plaguing her. She knew that if she had stayed in bed even a minute longer she would have been reminiscing and thinking too much, and eventually she would have been crying all over again so for now she was focused on running around Central Park and clearing her mind.

* * *

Around 6:23 AM Caroline made her way back to the apartment for a shower before her work shift. Seventeen minutes later she was dressed in white shorts and a flowered top, patting her hair dry with her towel. Carrying her work apron she made her way to the kitchen. Seeing as her shift only started at 7:20 she decided on making herself, and if Rebekah was awake, breakfast.

Surely enough Rebekah was awake and making herself a cup of coffee in the kitchen. "I swear Caroline, ever since I moved to America, I've completely dropped the ridiculous notion of tea and become a bona-fide coffee addict." Rebekah whined before taking a sip of her coffee and looking like a freshly awakened person afterwards.

Laughing Caroline places her apron on the counter. "Well, before you became addicted to coffee, you merry bunch of Brits got me hooked on tea." Caroline challenges as she grabs a mug and begins to steep her chamomile tea.

"Ahh, coffee. It has the power to awaken and packs a punch." Sipping her drink Rebekah ponders on her statement. "I do miss the refreshing sophistication that comes with drinking tea, though." Rebekah says as if she has completely abandoned all thoughts of ever drinking her former favorite hot beverage.

"Well tea and crumpets with the queen every Tuesday is certainly bland without you." Caroline mocked her accent and proceeded to sip her tea making sure to have her pinky as outstretched as possible. They laughed so hard at her poor imitation she set her mug down from fear of dropping it. "Well Rebekah, I was going to make us breakfast but our little shenanigans have made me lose track of time, and I have to get to work. Those cupcakes don't bake themselves." She gulped down the remaining tea that had gone cold and headed towards the door.

"Oh Okay. What time will you be back?" Rebekah asked, intentionally leaving out the part where she was going to force Caroline and Nik to 'talk'. She understood Nik had hurt Caroline, but it was going to be hard to navigate spending separate time with Caroline and her brother when she constantly had to worry about the other's feelings, especially now that he was here to live with and visit her.

"Um, I'm not sure." Caroline thought hard on the question, which normally wasn't hard to give an answer to. "My shift ends at 3:00, and after work I'm meeting up with Enzo. We're going to be reading each other's essays, and I don't know how long that's gonna take." She shrugged and walked through the door without waiting for a response from Rebekah.

Rebekah stood still in the kitchen, still comprehending that Caroline just left without so much as a goodbye. Hearing stumbling coming from the hallway, she turns just as Nik appears in the doorway looking as terrible as she imagined he felt.

* * *

"Hey Enzo…Yes, pick me up at the bakery at 3:00…Okay, see you then." Caroline hung up her phone and pulls out her key chain quickly locating the key to the bakery.

She went inside and immediately made her way to the kitchen. It was a disaster! Davina had clearly been "practicing" her decorating skills. There were multiple colors of frosting spewed across the metal counter top and chocolate cupcakes in a puddle of frosting on the floor. Disposable piping bags filled the plastic trash bin to its brim. She loved how enthusiastic Davina was about her career as a pastry chef but the girl had to learn how to clean up her mess.

As Caroline started to clean Davina's disaster, she heard the bell on the door ring. Turning she walks to the front of the bakery to see who had entered the shop. She was sure she locked the door and the bakery didn't open for at least another hour. When she came out of the kitchen she could see Davina throwing her bag on the counter.

Davina's eyes went wide at the sight of Caroline. "Oh my gosh Caroline, I meant to clean it all up before you came in this morning." She tried to explain but remained calm when she saw Caroline's understanding yet stressed expression. "Davina it's fine, okay…really. I just have a lot to deal with right now, and a messy kitchen is not something I want to have to be stuck with!" Without realizing, she yelled the last part, immediately apologizing to Davina. "I'm sorry Davina. Can you just tidy everything up so I can get started on today's batch?" Davina's face contorted to an almost pitiful look, concern for her friend marring her features. "Yeah sure, I'll get started on that. No need to worry okay? I'll make you a cup of coffee and you just sit here and de-stress." She guided Caroline over to the table and sat her down. As she scurried to the coffee machine Caroline hastily yelled out. "I don't drink coffee!"

Davina places a steaming cup of tea in front of Caroline and leaves to clean up the kitchen. Within twenty minutes Davina was done and relieved, Caroline merrily makes her way to the kitchen to start baking dozens of cupcakes whilst tying her apron around her waist.

Caroline had hoped that baking would make for an even greater distraction than running had but as she began to measure out her ingredients a silent tear glided down her cheek. She wiped it away quickly. It didn't stop her from thinking about the times that she'd bake and have a sweet creation waiting for Nik when he flew into Mystic Falls to see her. By the time she put the trays in the oven Caroline had remembered the late nights she spent crying onto a tray of cupcakes and the times when Rebekah came over to try and take her mind off her brother but she only ended up crying about him whilst Rebekah hugged her.

Caroline was angry more than anything. She spent an entire year of her life crying over the man that left her and just when she finally got past it and started to be happy and content with her life he shows up out of the blue like he did nothing wrong. She slammed an empty cupcake tray on the counter top so hard she managed to bend it. Physically letting anger out was Caroline favorite way of "de-stressing".

* * *

"Nik please tell me you didn't drown yourself in a bottle of liquor last night." Rebekah put a tall glass of water in front of him. He gulped down the water and tapped the table with the glass. Rebekah refilled the cup and he quickly repeated his previous action.

"Well liquor is my best friend in situations like these. So where is the lovely Caroline this morning?" Nik asks as he attempts to rub the sleepiness out of his eyes.

"She went to work Nik. You know the thing people do to make a living?" She initiated playful banter as she knew how much Nik would hate it. Groaning he lays his head on the table, earning a smirk from Rebekah.

"Do you know when she'll be back? Her and I have a lot to talk about." He raises his head enabling him to stare right into his sisters eyes.

"Her shift ends at three, but after that she said she'd be meeting up with Enzo. Those two are as thick as thieves so who knows how much time they'll spend together." Rebekah shrugged as if it were no big deal. Walking over she places her mug in the sink. "Enzo?" She heard her brother say in a chocked, barely audible voice.

"Ah ah ah…Stop right there Niklaus Mikaelson." She pointed her perfectly manicured finger his way. He raised his hands up innocently. "She's allowed to spend her time with whomever she chooses. Okay?" He only nodded. "And besides Enzo's just her super hot accented study buddy." Rebekah winked in hopes of provoking her brother a bit.

She could see his jaw clench and his knuckles turn white. "Despite my joking around Nik, you gave away any right to be jealous about Caroline the second you left without so much as a word." A look of shame makes its way to her brother's face. "Besides I haven't seen you since then, meaning I haven't kicked your ass for it." She cracked a huge infectious smile and soon there was a smile plastered on both there faced. She punched her brothers arm, "Now be a gracious house guest and make me breakfast."

* * *

 **Author's Note's**

Share with me your thoughts, good or bad?

Question? The quotes I put at the beginning of each chapter, thoughts?

And if you're missing the flashbacks don't worry next chapter 2,395 words of pure flashback to make up for less than 2,000 this chapter.


	4. Chapter 4

**Author's Note**

I've settled on the 'length' I want to try and make my chapters. So, 2,000 words is to little and 4,000 isn't too long but it isn't my ideal length if you will. My goal is to write right in the middle so 3,000 words. This chapter sadly isn't 3,000 words but i'm slowly getting there so hopefully the chapters to come only get longer.  
This chapter is completely flashback solely because I had a lot I wanted to write on the 'ball' night and i wanted to get it all down and move on. So Here it is.

 **P.S.** If you notice slight differences in this chapter it's because I've re-posted it but this time it has been edited by DPrettyGirl818.

* * *

I've gotten into this nasty

habit of running away from love,

but maybe one day

I find the exception to that.

* * *

 _When Caroline finally got to the Mikaelson mansion, where the ball was being held, she was just in time to not be too early but not obnoxiously late either. She wore the dress that Nik had had delivered only a few short hours ago, accompanied by a pair of white gloves just to 'fit in' with the sophisticated crowd that she knew would be in attendance. As soon as Caroline made it through the door Esther grabbed a hold of her and pulled her to the side._

 _"Caroline you look absolutely gorgeous, and you did a wonderful job helping to organize this evening. Thank you." Esther said and dare Caroline say it, there was a rare genuine smile on her face. Gosh, it seemed that even Esther Mikaelson had a soul. Usually she was glum and moody, and when she wasn't that she was yelling orders at everyone around her._

 _"No problem Mrs. Mikaelson, I'm happy to help." Caroline's words were muffled by the herald announcing everyone to grab a partner for the next dance, which would be a century's old waltz chosen by Esther. Completely ignoring Caroline's attempt at chatting amicably, Esther glanced behind her to the end of the staircase were her daughter was descending._

 _"Rebekah looks lovely this evening, don't you agree?" Esther asked bluntly. A confused Caroline turned around to find Rebekah at the end of Esther's gaze. At the end of the staircase Rebekah stood in an off the shoulder green dress holding her hand out as, her long-term high school crush, Matt Donavon, led her out to the floor where the majority of tonight's guests were dancing._

 _"Oh look, and there's Niklaus." Surely enough descending from the top of the staircase was Nik, except instead of being alone as Rebekah had been there was a girl quickly following him. Caroline's heart gave an unexpected jolt of displeasure. She was gorgeous, with a short fitted black dress, as if to say screw your formal evening gown dress code. Her dark chestnut brown hair lay in tousled curls down her shoulders. She talked animatedly whilst her hands moved continuously about. "And who is she?" Caroline asked turning back to Esther, not wanting to look at the girl any longer._

 _"That's Tatia, Niklaus' girlfriend." It looked like he was annoyed with the girl, but when they met the bottom of the stairs they locked hands and set out to dance. "I do wish to talk some sense into my son and have him make Tatia a Mikaelson sometime soon." She replied in frustration seemingly completely oblivious to her insensitive tone. Caroline wasn't sure what she was feeling. As soon as the words had left Esther's mouth she felt the sudden urge to run, to leave the stupid party and just roll up in a ball and cry, and with nothing else to do she did. Mumbling a faint "I need some air" to Esther, Caroline ran outside and took a deep breath of the cold evening air. Berating herself for her stupidity in even thinking that the dress meant Niklaus felt something for her she manages to hold back the retched tears threatening to fall. After getting a hold of herself Caroline makes her way across the enormous front yard of the Mikaelson's Mansion. A beautiful white horse stops her in her tracks. Horses were so simple and so majestic. Sometimes Caroline wished she could be a horse running through an endless meadow of purple flowers. How simple things would be for her then._

* * *

 _Nik saw her storm out in a flash. She was breathtaking and he had noticed her the second he had started walking down the staircase and his eyes had fallen on the blue evening gown he had sent her. He left Tatia with a baffled look on her face and no explanation, as he quickly followed Caroline outside in fear of finding that she had already left. He let out a relieved breath that he was unaware he was even holding, when he spotted the beautiful blonde in question a few feet away, near his family's horse. Practically sprinting those few feet in her direction, he came up behind her in what felt like mere seconds._

 _Hearing the quickening footsteps, Caroline turned. "Caroline" He managed to utter. A faint smile appeared on her face as if to acknowledge his attempt to open a conversation and Nik quickly saw through her façade knowing that something was wrong. "Caroline what's wrong?" He placed a hand on her shoulder, only to have her shrug it away as if he had burned her and step back turning her gaze back to the horse. "Nothing, I'm fine. Just fine." Not wanting to push her, Nik stood there gazing at her as she stared at their horse._

 _"You're staring." Caroline said stating the obvious. "I prefer to think of it as admiring a beautiful subject." He said still holding his gaze fixed on her. She giggled and this time he saw a genuine smile graze her face. Yes! I'm getting somewhere he cheered to himself._

 _After another brief interval of silence, Nik spoke again. "His name's Henry." She looked at him confused. "The horse." Nik said feeling the need to clarify. When she didn't reply he continued. "We named him after our brother, Henrik. He died four years ago. He was on eleven" His gaze moved to the floor as he realized this was the first time he really ever talked about his deceased younger brother. This time she was the one putting a hand on his shoulder. "I know, Rebekah told me a while ago. I'm sorry." At first he felt a bit of anger. He didn't want her pity, intending to lash out he looked up and saw something in her eyes that completely astounded him and deviated from pity. Regret maybe? No, it was pure empathy, only capable of being given by those who have felt the same way before. Realizing this he also recognizes another blatant fact. Caroline's lost someone just as important to her in her life._

 _Seeing Nik study her reaction she told him the answer to what she knew he wanted to ask. She took a deep breath. "My dad left my mom and me when I was really young…for another man...I hardly ever see him or spend time with him now. His life doesn't include me anymore." The initial shock washed over his face quickly but Caroline caught it before it vanished. "Yeah, I guess that just adds to my qualification of 'damaged goods'." He took hold of her face, forcing her to look straight into the ocean of blue that were his eyes. He gently wiped away the stray tear on her cheek. "Don't you ever dare think of yourself as anything less than beautiful. I can assure you sweetheart you look absolutely mesmerizing in that dress." And with that he put a smile on both their faces. "Come, I want to show you something." He took her hand in his and led her inside. Warmth coursed through her body and Caroline took this time to revel on how his hand felt around hers._

* * *

 _Nik took her to his studio, where the walls were covered in paintings of all sizes and sketches covered the desks. "So what did you want to show me?" Caroline asked as she stumbled into the room behind him. He turned around and smiled. This time it wasn't giddy or a smirk, it was him smiling, and it only seemed to happen around her. "One of my passions…" She gave him a curious look before she gazed at a table behind him covered in drawings. She looked through a couple and found one of a women's face, deeming it her favorite of all that she's seen thus far._

 _Caroline turned around with the drawing in her hand. "Who's this?" She asked ushering the drawing towards him. "No one special." He took the parchment from her and set it on the table. He looked through the rest of the drawings having one in particular he'd like to show her. "Now this…this is my personal favorite." He handed her the drawing and he watched her eyes go wide. It was a drawing of her, on the first day they had 'crossed' paths. In the drawing she had her head tilted a bit to the floor, as if to hide her blushing cheeks._

 _When Caroline looked up to meet Nik's eyes she noticed how close they had come to stand together. Clearly she wasn't the only one to notice, Nik leaned even closer aiming to kiss her and right before his lips connect with hers she turns away. "I can't. I won't be your distraction or whatever it is you want." Confusion immediately clouds his features and he pulls back staring at Caroline who's now not looking at him._

 _"Caroline, love, what are talking about?" He goes to place a hand on her shoulder but once again she takes a step back. "Esther told me about you and Tatia…and how you're planning to propose." This time she did turn around to try and gauge his reaction. Clearly caught off guard he stood there with his mouth hanging open and not saying a word, so she left._

 _A few minutes after, he wiped the dumbfounded expression off his face and went to find Rebekah down stairs. A search that was short lived, when he saw Rebekah storming towards him. Just as he opens his mouth to ask where Caroline had disappeared to, there was a painful stinging on his right cheek where Rebekah had slapped him. "You bloody idiot!" Nik took hold of her wrists when she attempted to get in another slap._

 _"Rebekah calm down, you're causing a scene." She pulls her hands out of his grasp as he drags her into one of the many sitting rooms in the mansion. He closed the double doors and slowly turns around to meet Rebekah's burning gaze. "What did you do to Caroline?" Anger evident in her tone. She held up a strong stance he'll give her that, with her arms crossed and never breaking eye contact. Nik combed his fingers through his hair and let out an exasperated grunt. "I didn't do anything. It was Esther, she told her about Tatia." A knowing look eased Rebekah murderous rampage. She turned her back to Nik feeling a bit of guilt for jumping to conclusions. "Do you know where she might have gone?"_

 _After their little spat Rebekah willingly told him that Caroline had gone home. Within five minutes he made it, and he was pretty sure he had gone over the speed limit to get there. He slammed the car door and sprinted towards her house._

* * *

 _Caroline had heard the car coming up the drive way and the sound of a door slamming. She got up from her place in the living room, where she had been sitting on the couch for the past fifteen minutes since she left the party. She walked to the front door only to see Nik running towards the house. Hesitantly she opened the door and went outside._

 _"What are you doing here?" Caroline asked the second Nik stepped on the porch. He caught his breath and then explained his reasons. "I'm here to apologize, and I have some explaining to do."_

 _"Go ahead then explain, apologize." She looked utterly annoyed and he knew why. He could have told her back at the mansion, but instead he didn't like a coward._

 _"I'm truly sorry, that you had to find out about Tatia the way you did but let me assure you that shipped has sailed. She did something incredibly unforgivable, and I have no desire of ever getting involved with her again, much less propose marriage to her." He searched her eyes for any hint of her reaction._

 _"So why did Esther say she's your girlfriend?" Caroline asked directing her gaze to the floor instead of meeting his eyes. "Well, you've met the woman, she lives in her own world. One of which she likes to think Tatia and I are still together." She looked up as she nodded, taking in what he was saying. "What did she do?" Nik really didn't want to get into this right now especially not with Caroline, but a part of him knew it might be the only way to get her to trust him. Taking a deep breath he proceeded._

 _"She seduced my brother." He said looking away. Caroline's eyes went wide, expressing her initial shock. "Oh my gosh, Kol?" She guessed. "Gods no…It was Elijah. He always seemed to hold a torch for Tatia even while we were together." Once again Caroline's eyes went wide as he revealed this new piece of information. "Wow, what a bitch." He smirked when he heard her mumble. "But I'm over it already and Elijah and I are on good terms. So I see no reason to rehash my past mistakes."_

 _"Well, you may not, but I definitely do." He gave her a confused looked that was asking for her to elaborate. "She's gorgeous. Her beautiful hair, her skin just radiates, and do not get me started on that dress." She shot her hands up and down in demonstration, and then tiredly lowered them when she finished._

 _Reaching out he grabs hold of her hands before running his hands up and down her arms, inwardly smiling that she hadn't pushed him away. "Love, the only dress I'm thinking about is the one you're wearing. Have I told you how ravishing you look this evening." She pressed her lips into a tight line trying to hold in her laughter. It didn't help and within seconds she was laughing. Soon enough both of their faces were plastered with a giddy smile._

 _"Why me?" At first he didn't understand what she meant by that. When he finally did get it he thought long and hard about what he would say next._

 _"I fancy you, you're strong, you're beautiful, you're full of light, I enjoy you, and no one not even Tatia will change that." He softly grabs hold of her face like he did earlier in the evening. "Do you understand me?" He barely understood what was happening as Caroline ambushed his lips with hers. He immediately responded but the kiss came to an end when Caroline pulled away. She pressed her lips in a tight line but this time for a completely different reason. She looked to the ground in attempt to hide her blushing cheeks. "Uh…It's late I should probably go inside and get some sleep." She maneuvered her way around him toward the door. She could hear his barely audible laugh at her innocent and shy tactics._

 _"Goodnight Caroline." He whispers leaning close, kissing her cheek, and retreating to his car. Caroline stood there watching him for a couple of seconds until she yelled out. "Nik!" He turned around at the sound of his name. She was running towards the car, gathering the dress so she wouldn't ruin it. Before he could ask what she was doing her arms were wrapped around his neck and his around her waist as she pressed their lips together one last time._

 _"Goodnight." She said when the kiss finally broke._

* * *

 **Author's Note**

Ugh! I was really hesitant and weird about writing the 'kiss'. I just find it weird kind of. Reading something like it is sweet and simple but writing it is another story, or maybe it's just me. I don't know, but I would appreciate your thought son the matter.  
Last thing, I might be sticking with 1 chapter flashback and the next not, or going back to half flashback half present time. Either way the story will still alternate between the two.


	5. Chapter 5

**Author's Note**

I am litterally posting this from my phone and the wifi sucks where I'm at.

No beta, excuse the mistakes. There are no spacers in between the scenes, sorry. I hope it doesn't get confusing. I'll fix everything when I access a computer.

A decent 3,500 so your welcome. What klaus did/why he left. Enzo and Marcel/Rebekah.

 **P.S.** Finally got to a computer a week later.

* * *

People who are meant to be

together find their way back.

They make a few detours.

But they are never lost.

* * *

After her eight hour shift at the bakery, Caroline cleaned the kitchen and herself up. Exactly at 3:00 P.M. Enzo walked through the bakery doors, just like he said he would. "Hello gorgeous." He greeted just like he always did. With a roll of her eyes she scoffed at his greeting. Caroline hated the 'nickname', and Enzo knew that. Which is exactly why he kept saying it.

Caroline met Enzo at the library a couple of months ago, when he unsuccessfully tried to hit on her. After a couple of more of his failed attempts, he got the hint and left Caroline alone. But a couple of random run ins later they got to talking and quickly became friends, "thick as thieves" as Rebekah would say.

Half an hour later of what Enzo called 'Caroline's nasty habit of being unreasonable' they decided on simply picking up some food and going to Central Park. They sat at a park bench that overlooked the water. Caroline was eating with her legs crossed on the bench and Enzo with his right foot perched on his left knee.

"Slow down there. This isn't a race." Enzo said and earned a scowl from Caroline. "I haven't eaten all day. Okay? Now shut it before I take your sandwich." She shot back and continued to hastily devour her sandwich. Enzo laughed at her childish behavior. Only when they both finished eating and threw away their trash, did they get to actually doing what they planned.

"Okay don't be mad put I changed my project, to a poem instead of an essay." She slowly handed him the poem she whipped up last night. She saw his eyes slightly widened as he read the title. "Is this about...him?" He turned to look at her. She nodded slowly, knowing precisely why he was surprised to read the title. 'The day he left' It read.

Of course she had told Enzo about Nik. If anything he along with Rebekah helped her get past him. It was a terrible time for her. And her friendship with Enzo was stupid, ridiculous, at times irritating, but over all helpful and meaningful. She told him the first time they drank together. They almost kissed that night, but Caroline started crying and she told him everything. From the day they met to the day he left. It wasn't the most ideal of circumstances, but in the end their friendship had never been better.

* * *

 ** _The day he left_**

 _I awoke to an empty bed.  
_ _Not knowing where he had gone,  
_ _or why he had left.  
_

 _I cried for days,  
_ _days turned into weeks.  
_ _Before I knew it,  
_ _it had been a year._

 _Then he came back.  
_ _This left me confused, angry,  
_ _but overall heartbroken,  
_ _all over again._

 _The day he left,  
_ _it continues to haunt me.  
_ _As I sleep, as I wake.  
_ _And I can't help but wonder,  
_ _does it haunt him too?_

* * *

"Wow,". Enzo let out when he finished. "Hold on wait when did he get back?." He turned this time and match her position on the bench. "Ugh!" She dragged her hands across her face.

"He got here last night. I dropped a glass of wine, cut my foot, he slept in the guest room, and I cried myself to sleep." She recalled last night and shrugged as if we're no big deal. He leaned over and hugged her.

"You should have called me." He whispered. She stifles a bit but luckily she didn't cry, not yet at least.

"Thanks, but I don't care much for rehashing last night right now. So...about my poem. Is it not enough? I know the professor had said the main point was to make it personal. And to choose a big part of your life, good or bad, but be honest." She took a much needed deep breath after her ramblings, and gave Enzo a stern look. He relented to give up the sour 'Nik topic' and have her explain further but alas he ended up doing so.

"Its good. I know that certain time of your life wasn't the best, but it's a great piece. Professor Shane will certainly enjoy this very personal insight." He stretched the word personal, to emphasized his evident surprise at her openness with this certain memory.

"Okay, great! Now give me your piece." She practically started digging in his bag, when he hadn't jumped at her command that very second.

"Well, my piece will certainly be dull in comparison to yours." He joked, but Caroline didn't find it humorous. Enzo pulled out his printed piece that was neatly tucked into a protective sheet cover.

"Damn it!" Caroline yelled. Thinking she was hurt, Enzo leaped up to help. He heard her gently laughing and looked up to see her grinning. "I'm not hurt, you idiot. I just remembered Jo asked if I had any 'new' recipes." She stood up and got her bag. "So I have to go home and try and whip up something spectacular!" She threw her hands in the air, and let them fall with a dramatic sigh. "I'll go over your paper tonight, and give it to you in the morning before class." They exchanged 'see you thens' and she started her walk back to the apartment.

* * *

Caroline got home with her mind set on getting to work on the new recipe for the bakery. Making her way directly to the kitchen, she took out the basic materials she would be needing. Flour, eggs, milk, mixing bowls, measuring cups, etc. Feeling confident with the materials she had spread out on top of the counter, she grabbed her pale blue book in which she had written every recipe she has made for the bakery.

Consulting the list Caroline noticed that she has practically incorporated every fruit into a cupcake. "There go my plans for a kiwi topped strawberry cupcake." She sighed. Deciding that this process would be going much smoother with a glass of wine Caroline crept over to the liquor cabinet. Not wanting to drink an expensive bottle of Gaja Barbaresco she opted for a cheap bottle of Merlot.

An idea sparked in Caroline's head as she spotted a bottle of Louis Roederer Brut Cristal Vintage Champagne (basically a very long name, for a bottle of champagne). She quickly searched the book and found no sign of anything champagne related.

Leaving behind her previous plans for wine, Caroline grabbed the bottle of champagne and got to work. She replaced the milk in the recipe for champagne. She jumped up and down in excitement as she put the cupcake tray in the oven. Not wanting to sit around for half an hour, Caroline got to work on the frosting, and used champagne instead of milk again.

* * *

 _"No, Nik that's not how you do it." Caroline pointed out as she snatched the bowl from Nik's grasp._

 _They had been together for almost a year now and it was Caroline's spring break, she had made the trip out to London, and to Nik's surprise, she came without Rebekah. She managed to ward off Rebekah by telling her that she'd just be a third wheel, and that she'd have their apartment all to herself. That last one was what really sold Rebekah._

 _They were in the kitchen making cupcakes because of Caroline's spontaneous craving for something 'abnormally sweet'. Working with what little Nik had in his pantry, Caroline managed to put a recipe together._

"Please love by all means, how exactly should I be doing it?" He asked amused at her concentration.

 _"For starters you should actually be measuring what you put into the bowl." Irritatedly Caroline washed out the bowl, and started to 'actually measure' what she put in the bowl. Suddenly as she moved to put the flour in the bowl, she felt Nik's arms hold onto her waist. "Nik, stop it." She warned._

 _"Stopped what? This?" He whispered in her ear as he hovered over her he continued his ministrations. "You should have thought about that before you decided to lounge around my apartment in nothing but my shirt."_

 _Caroline turned around and wrapped her arms around his neck. "I wouldn't be wearing your shirt if you hadn't ripped mine in to pieces."_

 _"Well, you see darling, that pesky thing was getting in my way." He shot her a knowing look as he leaned forward pressing their lips together into a heated kiss. Caroline gladly reciprocated, but when Nik slid his hand down to perch her on the counter she stopped him._

 _"No, not so fast. I still want those cupcakes." She turned around and laughed when all that was heard where his un approving groans._

* * *

Rebekah walked up the stairs to Marcel's large apartment. "Are you sober?" She asked as soon as he opened the door. "Of course I am. It's still early." That was a she needed. He gladly accepted and responded to the kiss Rebekah hastily laid on him. He pulled her inside and slammed the door shut.

"What brought upon this much appreciated surprise?" Marcel had her pinned against the wall. He saw her smirked, the one she got when she planned something devilish. "I merely need a good way to pass the time." Not satisfied with the answer he gave her a look so she could further explain. "I'm staying out of the apartment for the rest of the night, so Nik and Caroline have some time to talk." She replaced her smirk with a genuinely smile, Marcel noticed.

"Great." He didn't give her time to respond as he slammed his lips on here and led her down the hall, slowly pealing each others clothing off.

* * *

"Oh bloody hell!"

Nik was still adjusting to the five hour time change. He had went back to sleep after breakfast with Rebekah. Looking at his phone he saw the time. It was a couple of hours past three, which meant Caroline should be back. He threw a shirt on and went to the kitchen where he was certain the lots of clattering noises were coming from.

Just as he thought he found Caroline rusting about the kitchen with her hair pulled backed and multiple patches of frosting all over her clothes and in her hair. She was taking a baking tray out of the oven and setting it on the stove top. She started humming a song he swore he had hard before. He caught a glimpse of her smile and was reminded of how much he missed her.

"Oh god! You scared me!" Caroline shrieked when she turned around, to find Nik staring at her. She held a hand to her chest. Taking a deep breath she lowered it back to her side.

"What are you making?" He took the first leaped, and broke the ice.

Caroline turned around and surveyed her surroundings, as if seeing him had completely wiped her memory. Quickly gathering her thoughts she answered. "Cupcakes...A new recipe I'm working on for the bakery." She was finding difficult to hold his gaze, and yet it never faltered.

"And what does this new recipe consist of?" He walked around the island counter and over to Caroline. She took a step back and be stopped his movements.

"Champagne. It's a champagne cupcake, with champagne frosting and its decorated with chocolate." A curt nod was her go to defense, and that's all she offered him.

"That explains this." He held up the half filled champagne bottle. After a brief silence he continued. "I reckon Rebekah made herself scarce on purpose. Allowing us a moment alone to...for me to explain myself." She took a couple of steps toward until they were face to face.

She slapped him like she had imagined for an entire year. The reality didn't live up to its expectation, because all she still wanted to do was rolled up into a ball with his arms around her. "Your damn right you need to explain yourself." She snapped in attempt to covered her yearning for him.

Caroline walked to the living room and plopped on the edge of the couch. He followed behind her and sat at the other end, a good three feet away from her.

"The day you told me...the day I...the day I left," he couldn't get the words out because of the shame he felt, he started the story where Caroline told him the news.

* * *

 _"I'm pregnant!"_

 _Those two words...Those two words could have meant his death sentence a couple of years ago. But now, as he stood in his bedroom with Caroline, the love of his life, after three years of being together, those two words couldn't have been said by any one better._

 _Nik swept her off the ground and planted a sweet slow kiss on her lips. "I love you." He said into her now muffled hair. "I love you too." She whispered into his ear, hugging him almost as possessive as he was her._

 _They laid in bed for about half an hour talking, well...half an hour of Caroline rambling about how they would make everything work until she fell asleep on his chest. He got up slowly and went into one of the many sitting rooms in the Mikaelson mansion, one he knew Esther frequented._

" _How did it go?" His mother asked._

 _"I didn't get to ask her." He sat down on the chair across from her and directly in front of the fireplace._

 _"Wait what! What happened?" He smiled at her freighted reaction. The reason he didn't get to ask Caroline was the best news he had gotten in a while._

 _"Caroline's pregnant. She is with child mother." Esther leapt out of her chair and embraced her son for the first time in years. "You will make a great father, Niklaus." Muttering congratulations she retired for the night._

* * *

"What were you going to ask me?" Caroline was listening intently me grasping on to every word he said. She placed her hand on his hand that was draped over the top of the couch. He pulled it out from underneath and folded both his hands together on his lap.

"I was going to ask for you hand in marriage." Nik never took his eyes of hers. She felt frozen under his gaze especially after what he just admitted.

* * *

 _Nik sat in the plane his eyes searching for something outside the window. Maybe he was looking for her. Or a something that told him he was making a terrible mistake, but it never came._

 _He fiddled with the black velvet box that had been burning a hole in his pocket since he left. He opened it and instead of seeing the ring he envisioned slipping onto Caroline's ring finger on the night he would ask her to be his wife, he saw a ring that he was sure he'd be carrying around for next couple of years, or until he saw her again. And when that happens, he is going to make her the happiest Caroline he has ever seen. That's a promise you hat he will never break._

 _Earlier that evening..._

 _For the next minutes to follow his smile never faltered, but then he heard his voice. His father, Mikael, stood at the doorway where Esther had made her exit moments ago. His eyes rimmed with red and an empty bottle of scotch gripped tightly in his hand. Mikael set the bottle on he glass coffee table and began to clap. "I believe congratulations are in order...but why would I congratulate a bastard born Mikaelson on bringing yet another bastard born Mikaelson into this world." He had gott_ en _dangerously close, causing Nik to get up from his seat. Mikael stumbled toward a bit almost hitting a Nik._

 _"What are you talking about?" Nik growled, not amused by his drunk ramblings_.

 _"I'm talking about you! You bastard boy!" He backed Nik up to the wall and poked at his chest._

 _"Mikael you're drunk, just go to bed and we'll have a nice laugh about this tomorrow." Nik patted his shoulder and made to push him away, but Mikael pinned him back._

 _"What I say is all truth. You're the product of your mothers infidelity. An affair she had with an artist in France." Mikael's words burned. Nik kept telling himself that the old man_ _was just drunk, but the more he said the more he began to believe every word._

 _"And now you've gone and gotten some whore pregnant with yet anther bastard." Mikael gave a sadistic smirk, the one he wore regularly. "Your own father didn't stick around. I wouldn't expect you to." At that Nik kept toward and punched Mikael so forcefully that he landed on the ground holding his face. Nik walked out of the room and out the front door making his way to the nearest bar to drink his misery away._

 _At first he toyed with the idea of going back to the house and punching Mikael senseless, but instead he sat at the bar for the next two hours and drank the place dry._

* * *

 _The sound of the bedroom door slamming woke Caroline right up. In her hazy line of sight she could make out Nik stumbling towards her. It was only when he sat near her at the edge of the bed that she was able to smell his alcohol written breath._

 _"Nik where were you?" He didn't give an answer so she kept talking. "I thought you were fine after what I told you. You took it well, so why did you have to go get drunk?" She used her hands to bring his face closer to hers. She searched his eyes for the tiniest show of a response_.

 _"I never thought that I would be an idiot who knocked up some girl." He said with a completely blank expression._

 _"You're drunk. I know what kind of drunk you are. After a night of a completely irresponsible amount of drinks, you end up speaking nonsense." She tried to go back to sleep, but her attempt failed, so she got up to find something to occupy herself with. She hadn't noticed it but Nik followed after her._

 _Ignoring what she said he started his 'nonsense' again. "I mean, it's a given that I have a lot of sex. A lot of great sex, but you weren't even the best shag." Not bothering to acknowledge him with a response Caroline just mumbled 'nonsense' from her place at the dresser._

 _He caught her attempt at a sly mumble and it outraged him to no end. "Oh no Caroline I'm dead serious!" He walked towards her and she turned around at this. "Was it Mikael who put you up to this? Or maybe it was Esther?"_

 _He kept walking, closer and closer. "Did they tell to get pregnant, is this your way of getting in the good graces of the Mikaelson fortune? Are you even pregnant?" By now he had successfully gotten Caroline backed up against the wall. Caroline stayed quiet, still not wanting to indulge him in his nonsense._

 _"Damn it Caroline!" He rose his hand unconsciously. As his hand came closer to Caroline then It did the wall, Nik stepped back and his face was written with absolute horror at his previous actions. This garnered Caroline's attention. Spotting the ashamed look on his guilt written face, she held her hand out and walked closer to soothe him. He ran out of the room not sparing her a glance. All he could hear was her yelling his name._

 _She started to hyperventilate. Taking deep breaths, she went back to bed hoping that it was all just a terrible nightmare, and that when she woke up she would be wrapped in his arms and everything would be okay._

 _When she woke up to an empty bed the next morning, the realisation hit her. Nik was gone. To add more to her distress, Caroline couldn't shake one thing he had said. "Are you even pregnant?" She knew it was just some stupid thing he had said while he was incredibly intoxicated but Caroline being Caroline, she went to the doctor just to be one-hundred percent sure._

 _The following week when she went in for her doctors appointment, Caroline lost the last thing she had of Nik. Or the last thing she thought she had. The doctor told her she wasn't in fact pregnant. "But if you're determined to get pregnant, everything is in order." Dr. Fell had told her. She left the doctors office mourning yet another lost. But still the strong headed Caroline couldn't let herself cry and rot. So she went home and repack her things, which she had brought to spend the summer with Nik, and prepared to have them taken back to New York._

* * *

 **Author's Note**

I'm not 100% sold on how I ended it but I working on it. Next chapter will be about everyone, including Caroline, dealing with Nik leaving.


	6. Chapter 6

**Author's Note**

It has been a hectic past month. I won't say that I was busy, because I wasn't. I just had a lot of things to do and they took priority over my writing. This is a short chapter so I'm sorry that you've waited a month for an update and it is only 2,000 words.

* * *

You fill me...

and maybe that is why

I feel so empty at times

so goddamn stupid'

and awkward.

I could barely make myself

feel at home with all the people

and places I love.

I cannot get away...

you are the sky,

the suicidal star that

never stops falling.

The thought of you is haunting,

and it keeps following me

everywhere

I go.

R.

* * *

 _In the coming three weeks of Nik's disappearance, the only person he reached out to was Elijah. He never spoke a word to anyone. Not Esther. Not Rebekah. Not Kol. Not Mikael(not that he'd ever say a word to that son of bitch ever again). And most unfortunate of all, not a single word to Caroline._

 _*Night of Nik's disappearance*_

 _"Elijah, I'm at the airport can you come pick me up?" Nik practically pleaded. Elijah the ever so observant, caught on to his slurred, slightly frighten, but definitely in need tone._

 _"Niklaus what is it? What have you done this time, brother?" In his most gentle voice he said, not wanting Nik to lash out and do something irresponsible. Which he feared he already had._

 _"I messed up Elijah. I really screwed up this time." By this point, tears began to well in Nik's eyes. Elijah was in his car and on his way before Nik could say another word._

 _That night he told Elijah everything. About the news of Caroline's pregnancy, Mikael's intoxicated confession, and shamefully he told him about almost laying a hand on Caroline. Elijah didn't approve of what his brother almost did and his brother's running away, but nonetheless Elijah would always be there for his brother._

* * *

 _Hearing the door being opened Rebekah got up from her spot on the couch. "Caroline? What are you doing here?" She reached Caroline at the door and saw her tear stained face. Quickly she pulled her into a hug._

 _"What happened? You where suppose to be with Nik for the whole summer." Rebekah asked cautiously._

 _"He left Bekah...he's gone." Caroline sobbed into her best friends hair. Rebekah held on tighter. Not wanting to push Caroline in her fragile state, she let her rest. She would get her answers somehow. She held Caroline for as long as she needed, she put her into bed and when she was sure that she was sound asleep Rebekah grabbed her_ phone and called her mother. After three rings Esther picked up the phone.

 _"Rebekah, I can only assume that you've heard of your brothers absence. Seeing as you never really call to catch up." Esther said, practically spitting that last part._

 _"Cut the crap mother. Why did Nik leave? What did you say to him?" Right off the bat Rebekah began to assume the worst of her mother._

 _"Your father wouldn't approve of his coward running away." Esther said completely ignoring Rebekah's assumptions about her being the one that drove Niklaus away._

 _"_ _Yes, and where is father? On some island with his latest trollop?" Rebekah heard no answer and continued. "Or perhaps he upstairs with her now, while you sit there rotting away in the shadows while your husband strays."_

 _"_ _You will not be speaking to me like that ever again Rebekah Mikaelson! I am your mother." She tried to stand her ground but her voice was on the verge of cracking._

 _"_ _Oh, Esther if only that meant something. It stopped meaning anything the day you allowed that despicable man to lay a hand on my brother." With that Rebekah hung up the call and left answer with her mouth agape in disbelief._

* * *

 _"_ _I almost laid a hand on her Elijah…I almost became that monster." Nik continued to tell Elijah from the couch with his head buried in his hands._

 _Elijah sat next to his brother, placing his arm around his shoulder. "You listen to me Niklaus, you are nothing like that pathetic excuse for a father. Mikael is a monster, but you are nothing like him."_

 _That night Elijah called his sister, careful not to disclose that Nik had been staying with him. He understood fully that his brother would need to calm and collect himself, however long that may take._

* * *

 _Esther walked into the lavish bedroom she shares with her husband, still a little on edge from her earlier phone call with her daughter. She spotted Mikael in bed with a bottle of scotch on the bed side table and a glass filled with the amber liquid in his hand. She sat in front of her mirror and took off all the things she had masked herself with for the day._

 _"_ _I knew the bastard would run away, just like his father that one." Mikael sipped from the glass in his hand. He gulped down the rest when he came to the conclusion that sipping was completely pointless._

 _"_ _Don't you dare bring Ansel into this, especially when you're the one screwing around with your whores every night." She wanted to yell but truly, she was just tired of it all. The lying, the cheating, being yelled at my her own children._

 _Esther hadn't realized it but Mikael had stood up and walked over to her. "So you're allowed to stray from our martial bed, but I'm not?" He gripped her wrist and forced her to stand and look at him._

 _"_ _You're the only whore i see here." He spat. Esther tried to pull her wrist free but Mikael wouldn't budge. She continued to tug but the hard heat she felt when Mikael pulled back his handed and landed it on his cheek, had stopped her. She withered onto the floor. Mikael shook his head and retreated back to his bed._

* * *

 _Nik was still pasted out on Elijah's couch pasted noon when Kol burst through the door. "I'm telling you Elijah, I'm as pleasant a Mikaelson as there going to get. Oxford is lucky to have me." Kol said from the kitchen._

 _"_ _Elijah you dog, does Katherine know about this." Hearing suspicious groaning, he walked into the living room completely misinterpreting the situation._

 _"_ _Nik! What are you doing here?" He rushed his newly awaken brother into a hug. "I thought you went back to Mystic Falls to propose to your beloved?"_

 _Nik continued to rub the sleep out of his eyes. "My plans kind of self destructed brother." He yawned. "If your looking for Elijah, I believe he went into the office early to review a new case."_

 _"_ _Well if old Elijah isn't here how about you and I go out for a bit? Hit up a pub?" The scow Kol got from Nik was threat enough. "Or we could go to the art shop, or tour Oxford'ss Law School?" Kol suggested._

 _Nik actually considered his brothers attempts at bonding. And alas Nik got off his ass, stopped dwelling on everything he screwed up on, and got his life back on track. But he new his life was missing the bubbly blue eyed blonde he left back in Mystic Falls._

* * *

 _Caroline had been doing good, considering she had just lost the two most important things in her life. She was back on track, she asked Jo for some summer shifts at the bakery, and she had practically cleaned every surface in her apartment at least three times. Needless to say caroline kept herself pretty occupied, all in attempt to keep herself from thinking about Nik and the baby._

 _But this morning just wasn't having it. She had dreamt about living with Nik in their perfect house filled with there three and half kids, and their two dogs that Nik had insisted on getting. She had leaped out of bed with fresh tears rolling down her cheeks._

 _Caroline quickly found a task to distract herself with. Cleaning out her closet, something she had not done in a while. Her planned had ceased to for fill its intended purpose when she pulled out a shoe box which she thought had been her latest gift from Rebekah, but instead she opened the lid of the box and found the box full of moments and milestones from her and Nik's relationship. He had given her it when he went back to London for the second time._

 _And to add more to her already tear drenched face, Caroline pulled out the grey henley t-shirt she took from Nik the first time she went to visit him in London on her spring break._

 _Caroline pulled the shirt over her head and took the box to her bed. She looked through it time after time, staring at each photo and reliving each memory over again._

 _A couple of hours later Rebekah had come home and found Caroline asleep in her room. She had fallen asleep in Nik's grey henley and had been clenching one of the pictures from the box._

 _Rebekah pulled it out of Caroline's weak grasp. Immediately she recognized the picture, because she had taken it herself._

* * *

 _Trying to get Nik away from yet another one of Mikael's drunk outburst she pulled him out onto the balcony, not knowing that Rebekah had seen them and cracked open the door with her new camera at the ready. Nik pulled Caroline into a slow and sensual kiss._

 _Rebekah shied away a bit, not wanting to see her best friend and her brother in a tight lip lock._

 _"_ _Every year I dread this day. It's just another way for Mikael to continuously blame me for Henrik's death, and you Caroline have made it just a little bit more bearable." he kept his eyes closed and rested his forehead against hers. "And for that Caroline I can honestly say that I am completely and utterly in love with you, I love you Caroline Forbes."_

 _He felt Caroline pulled away and was immediately frightened. Until he looked into her eyes and saw her in complete disbelief. He could hear her take a deep breath and steady herself. Beginning to believe she wouldn't say anything he took his hands from where they were placed on her shoulders._

 _Caroline almost instantaneously pulled on his collar and placed an equally passion filled kissed on his lips. She pulled back and gazed into his eyes. "I'm in love with you to Niklaus Mikaelson." She laughed when he winced at the mention of his full name. And at that exact moment, when Caroline's smile was wide and Nik had chosen to wrapped his arms around her waist and lift her up, had Rebekah immortalized the moment forever with her camera._

* * *

After he finished telling every last detail to Caroline he could see her drifting off a bit, obviously tired from all of the recent news. He kneeled down in front of her and clasped her hands in his. The action was enough to pull Caroline from her partial sleep induced haze.

"Caroline, I need you to know," He lifted his gaze from their locked hands to the blue eyes that seemed to always be looking into his very soul. "that it was never my intention to her you." He stood up quickly, not even giving her enough time to process anything. He let go of her hands. "Goodnight Caroline."

Before he even could take a step towards the door Caroline had jumped up and taken his hand in hers. "No, please don leave." She pleaded.

He didn't know why she asked, and neither did she.

She didn't know why he stayed, and neither did he.

But he did know one thing, sitting there on that couch in that over priced New York apartment, and having Caroline wrapped in his arms, felt like coming home. And to her it felt like all the countless sleepless nights, and over scheduled days had finally been worth it. Just when she thought Nik was asleep she whispered, "I'm still in love with you and it completely terrifies me." and he heard her plea.

* * *

 **Author's Note**

Leave your review on this chapter please, and I'll hopefully be back soon with a longer update. Also if you want to see anything in particular happen in this story, suggestions are welcome.


	7. If only she didn't push him away

**Author's Note**

As much as i love this story, it hasn't been my top priority as of late. Don't worry i will not give up on this fic. Klaus and Caroline relation here is no where near rekindled so I look forward to writing there re-blossoming romance.

* * *

If you fall in love

with an artist

you will live forever.

-unknown

* * *

Last night Caroline had slept the most peaceful she has in over a year, and it was because she was finally back in Nik's arms. But of course she wouldn't let herself believe that. She denied to no end the next morning, having an eternal conflict with herself.

As soon as she opened her eyes and realized where she was and who's arms where wrapped around her, she immediately jumped up into the air, got dressed and left the apartment. "Besides I have things to do today." Caroline told herself.

Caroline ran over to the subway and surprisingly was able to catch the train. Seeing as she got caught up last night talking to Nik, she never got around to reading Enzo's paper. So instead of allowing herself to think about sleeping in Nik's arms last night, she got to reading Enzo's peice.

After the twenty-six minutes subway ride to campus, Caroline had finished reading Enzo's paper. It was really good. This piece had been a side of Enzo's writing she hadn't seen before. He had written about how he came to the terms of being adopted and how he gave up the search for his family, because he already had his family. "By birth or adoption it doesn't matter they're still my family."

Caroline got to class right on time, thank god they hadn't started with out her. She took her usually spot next to Enzo. "Hey gorgeous," Enzo smiled at her. "Hey, I read your piece, It's really really good." She said while handing him the protective covered essay. "Thanks gorgeous." His grinned widened when Caroline finally scoffed at the name.

* * *

"Wake up you lazy wanker!" Yelled Rebekah at the sight of her brother sprawled out on the couch.

Nik rolled over and fell on the floor. "Jesus, could you be anymore annoying." He rubbed the spot on his head where he hit the floor. Looking around he finally noticed what was missing from the situation. Caroline was no where to be seen.

"Where's Caroline?" Nik finally stood up.

"I don't know. She's probably in class by now, why?" Realizing Caroline probably left him in the middle of the night he tried to seem unaffected. But the all knowing Rebekah got hold of her brothers actions all to quickly.

"What exactly happened last night?" She crossed her arms and narrowed her eyes in her brothers direction. "Did you finally explain yourself? Did you apologize? Did she forgive you? Oh please tell me you two are back together!" Rebekah was practically jumping after her onslaught of questions and the hopeful rekindling of her favorite couple.

"Calm down Rebekah!" She stopped jumping and they both sat down. Her eager for any explanation and him completely confused. "Yes I explained myself. Yes I apologized. No we're not back together, and as for whether or not she forgives me well I think we're getting there…but she did say something that I don't think I was meant to hear."

Her interest was peaked even further. "What did she say?"

"She said she loves me and that scares her." This time he looked at his sister. He was the one looking for an explanation.

Rebekah had already started assembling a plan, much like last night. Consulting her phone for the time her plan was set. "Caroline will be out of class in about half an hour. If you leave now you'll make it to the campus right on time." Nik was a little lost or so Rebekah picked up. "Pick her up from class take her somewhere quiet so you two can talk."

Rebekah gave him strict instructions on what side of campus Caroline would be. He jumped in the car he rented at the airport. On his way there Nik could already see the whole afternoon planned out.

* * *

An hour later their paper's were turned in, they had they're next assignment, and class was over. Caroline and Enzo were making their way out of class when she spotted the one person she was trying her hardest to not think about today, Nik. He was leaning against a black SUV. A rental Caroline presumed.

Caroline skipped a few feet in front of Enzo. "What are you doing here!" She whispered but half shouted.

"I think it's obvious, sweetheart. I'm picking you up from class." Nik told an open mouthed Caroline. She didn't even have time to process what was happening before he was introducing himself to Enzo, who had by now caught up to them.

"Klaus, nice to meet you mate." Nik smiled and shook Enzo's out stretched hand.

"Enzo, I've heard so much about you." At that Nik rose his eyebrows. Enzo didn't see and turned towards Caroline. "See you later gorgeous." With a kiss at the top of her head, just to piss off Klaus. Of course Caroline caught the way Nik's nostrils flared at the name and the death glare that he sent to Enzo's back.

After Enzo rounded a corner and Nik could see him no longer, he turned to Caroline. "Come on, love, I have a whole afternoon planned for us." He didn't he a word from her until they got in the car.

* * *

 _Caroline had been in London for about fours days, and for the time Nik and her weren't locked in his apartment, she had noticed one particularly thing. Everyone called him Klaus. And for Caroline it seemed kind of odd._

 _So on her fifth night in London, while they were curled up in his bed, him stroking her hair and she running her hand lazily up and down his chest, she asked him._

 _"Hey Nik?" Caroline asked. She looked up through hooded lashes._

 _"Yes, sweetheart," He answered gently. "What is it?"_

 _Now that she thought of it…it was a rather silly question and it really didn't matter. "Umm…" She trailed off, not looking at him anymore._

 _"Caroline what's wrong?" This time he sat up and pulled her up with him._

 _"Okay, so whenever we're not locked in your apartment and we're actually outside doing things with actual people they don't call you Nik and I've noticed, this is a stupid question but it's really bugging me and I just really want to know so," Caroline took a deep breath after her rambling. She looked down at her hands and then back up at him. Gosh she felt so stupid. "Out with it." He eased her._

 _"Well now your making me feel dumb." She huffed while crossing her arms over her chest. He rose his eyebrows asking her to get out with it. "Okay, Why does everyone here call you Klaus, when Rebekah, Kol and I call you Nik?"_

 _"Caroline you are aware that Niklaus is my full name right?" She slowly nodded her head up and down. "Yeah, Rebekah's mentioned it a few times."_

 _"Well I introduce myself as Klaus to most people, but for those special few, they get to call me Nik." Her eyes gleamed at his answer. He kissed her straight after not letting her get a word out._

 _They fell into another round of exploring each other, tangled in the soft silk sheets, and covered with each others kisses._

* * *

He was hoping what he heard last night was actually something she had said and not something he dreamt up. "I'm still in love with you and it completely terrifies me." He was going to make sure Caroline felt comfortable around him, and whatever he did he wouldn't push her or rush her in any way, he promised himself. But all this became irrelevant when he finally heard Caroline talk from the passengers seat..

"I don't want to spend time with you Klaus, and besides I have to go to work." Caroline snapped a little harshly. She didn't see it but Nik's face immediately fell at hearing her words.

The car was filled with silence for the next twenty minutes. He dropped her off at the bakery Rebekah had told him she worked at. He tried to squeeze in a quick goodbye or a 'see you later' but Caroline had slammed the car door in his face.

* * *

Caroline tries her hardest to not think about Nik for the rest of the day. Honestly she knew she acted like a total bitch and the guilt kind of killed her. But she put it all aside and focused on work. Besides no one has time for all that drama especially when you have so many cupcakes at your disposal.

This time the kitchen was spotless. Apparently Davina finally learned how to clean up. She went to pull out a bottle of champagne she knew Jo 'secretly' kept in the cooler. She got the bowls, measuring spoons, and most importantly chocolate.

Caroline replicated yesterday's recipe almost exactly. She tweaked her previous recipe a bit and ended up with a more chocolate induced cupcake. The final product was a champagne chocolate cupcake topped with champagne buttercream. She decorated with a couple of pieces of swirled chocolate. The last thing that needed to be done was take it to Jo for her approval.

* * *

 _"Caroline I'm so sorry but I have to head over to campus for a bit. It will only take an hour I promise. Will you be okay here by yourself?"_

 _And thats how Caroline got here, shopping in every store you could find on Oxford Street. Nik got an emergency call from one of his professors and he had to rush down to campus to make sure everything was okay. Meanwhile this left Caroline with an hour to do whatever she pleases. So obviously she had to check out Europe's busiest shopping street._

 _After going into stores like H &M, Topshop, Urban Outfitters, and a whole lot more, Caroline found her inside of Victoria's Secret. She figured after Nik left for an hour, coming back to find her in some new lingerie would be some sweet torture. She left the store with two lacy sets one red and the other black, Nik would have to choose._

 _Caroline made it back to Nik's apartment with time to spare. She put a bottle of champagne to chill and went to change. She couldn't choose between the red or the black but ultimately settled on the red set with her black heels. She heard keys rustling against the door knob. Topping everything off with a deep red lipstick, she went into the kitchen and pulled out the bottle of champagne along with some champagne flutes._

 _"I can't wait for you to meet her." Nik told his friend._

 _"Oh shit!" He brought someone home and to make it worst, he brought someone home to meet her. She can't meet someone while she's half naked! "I really should have thought things through." Before the door could open she scurried to the bedroom so Nik's friend wouldn't get a free show._

 _"Caroline?"_

 _"In here." He heard coming from his room. And what he found inside was definitely a surprise. He looked her up and down multiple times until he remembered the friend he decide to bring home._

 _"Caroline as much as I enjoy looking at you in that, we kind of have a situation…I ran into my friend Kaleb at campus, I told him you were here visiting me, and he wants to meet the girl I can't stop talking about."_

 _She hadn't missed the way his eyes glanced over her, and if that pleading look he had in his eye told her anything, he really regretted bring this Kaleb guy over. Getting over her short frantic panic attack she brought her hands to his chest and her lips to his ear and whispered, "Why don't you get rid of your friend and bring him back another time." She spent to much time and thought into tonight for his unexpected friend to ruin it._

 _When he felt her lips pressing lightly on his neck he was done for. "Sure thing love." He rushed out of his room and went to explain himself to Kaleb. "Sorry Kaleb but Caroline isn't feeling well. Maybe you can come back another time?" Nik said a bit too urgently._

 _"I know what that's code for mate. Have a 'lovely' night." Kaleb said with a little too much emphasis on lovely, as he made his way out the door._

 _Nik practically ran back to Caroline but he found her in the kitchen holding up two glasses of champagne. They would forever remember this night as "The Night of Lacey Champagne." They laughed about it later._

* * *

Jo loved the new recipe. She had Caroline put the rest of the batch in the front window. When Jo asked what they should name it Caroline quickly responded with "Lacey Champagne." It was a big hit! Within an hour everyone had bought one of the bakery's 'New Lacey Champagne Cupcakes'

Davina showed up for her shift and relieved Caroline. She ended up walking back to the apartment for some much needed head clearing. It had worked up until when she got home only to find Rebekah there. She kind of had a miny freak out thinking that nik had left just like he had a year ago.

"It's okay you know, Nik isn't here." Rebekah knew all to well that it wasnt Nik not being here that had Caroline frassled, but more like him making a swift dissappearance again. And yet she still fed the fire fuel. Sticking to her 'it'll all work out, in the end they'll be together' mantra. "He checked in to The Mark about an hour ago. Or so he told me."

A couple of minutes of Caroline contimplation later, she sighs "I didn't mean for him to leave," She mumbles as she flops on the couch.

"What are you going on about?" Asks Rebekah who came closer to comfort her friend.

"Nik came to pick me up from class today, he wanted to spend the day together, and I may or may not have acted like a total bitch." Caroline spilled.

"Well my brother hasn't been the most pleasant person as of late. I'd say he deserved it." Rebekah rubbed Carolines shoulders.

"Oh don't you dare play little miss innocent. I know you were behind yesterday, and probably the reason Nik decided to pick me up today too huh?" She pointed a finger at her best friend ehowas looking really guilty right about now.

"Okay so i did play a little part in those last nights events, but it got you two to talk didnt it?" She stated her point. Caroline retreated her finger, 'she has a point there'. "And after all the progress I had you two make, you went and screwed it up!"

Now Caroline was the one looking guilty. She opened her mouth to defend herself, but was shut down by Rebekah. "I happened to know what room he's staying in." This time Rebekah sand and prodded Caroline's shoulder.

* * *

Nik recapped what happened to Rebekah straight after he left the bakery and quite frankly he didn't want to stay at Caroline's apartment just chatting with Rebekah. Could you blame him? So he checked into The Mark. Not too far away but close enough. Unfortunately almost every room was booked so he wound up getting placed in The Terrance Suite. He had a whole 5 bedroom and the fourteenth floor all to himself.

He put he suitcase on the bed and started unpacking, because he dint really know how long he would want to stay for. He put his jeans in the drawers and hung his shirts in the closet. It wasnt until he came to the bottom of his suitcase that he found an old polaroid caught in the elastic of the suitcase.

It was a picture of Caroline from the spring break she chose to spend in London. If he recalled correctly he snuck several photos of her that week...well until she caught him.

* * *

 _There were very few things Nik cherrished in his life and Caroline was becoming one of those things. Every minute he spent with her he had the erge to but her beuty down in paint, but she continuosly refused stating that there was nothing worth immortalising. He strongly disagreed._

 _So every time she refused his proposition he didnt paint her but he did grab his Canon Polaroid SX-70 that Henrick had gifted to him and snapped a picture of her. In some she was curled up in bed reading, or tangled in the solft silk sheets. He kept the camera and the picture he had taken in his bedside table. Not really the best place to put something if your trying to secrectly snap picture of someone. And especially if that someone happens to sleep in your bed every night right near that table._

 _So when he envitably found Caroline looking throught all the picture he wasn't that surprised. "Nik, what are these?" He sat on their bed expecting for her to be a tad bit angry and was pleasantly surprised when she tackled him down instead._

 _"Well love, you were quite insistent that I not paint you." She had her hands sucpicously behind her back and she had an eyebrow arched that made her look even more guilty._

 _"Smile!" She yelled before on onslaught of the camera's flash went off. He took the newly taken photos adn his camera and put them back on the table. This time she was the one pinned to mattress._

 _She saw the lust in his eyes, expecting him to fulfill it she waited for the kiss. But he had other plans. He roughly tickled her sides and she erupted with that glorious laughter that he loved._

* * *

Nik heard a knock at the door and relectantly but the ploaroid down. He hadnt expected to find what he did when he opened the door. There she stood soaked in rain from the storm he hadn't even noticed.

"Caroline." This time he was the one left shocked. He honestly thought he blew any chance he had at reconciling with Caroline but there she stood

* * *

 **Author's Note**

Hoped you all enjoyed those flashbacks I know I enjoyed writing them. I love it when some one leaves a review it's just one way I know people are actually reading.

The part of Nik not staying with Caroline and Rebekah was actually kind of drawn from a review. So if you have any ideas or any thing specific you think should happen with Karolin in this story, then feel free to leave it in a review or PM it to me.


End file.
